Stone-pelting victim faces a gloomy future
Preethamol lost her left eyesight after she was hit by a stone hurled at a running train by a miscreant.
Kochi: It was a train journey that turned her life upside down. Preethamol K.R., 23, a nurse, almost lost her left eyesight after she was hit by a stone hurled at a running train by a miscreant over a month ago.
Now, she is also unsure of her job at a well-known hospital in Hyderabad as the hospital authorities are not keen on her rejoining.
Preethamol, who supported her family financially, was on her way back to her workplace in Hyderabad after visiting her home on October 2. As the Sabari Express bound for Hyderabad left Ottappalam, the stone hurled at the train hit her left eye, piercing the lens, retina and nerves. Doctors were sceptical of the girl regaining her normal eyesight.
“I’ve informed the hospital authorities about the incident even through my friends working at the hospital. However, they have shown no interest in taking me back. Neither have they granted me any leave nor am I on their pay list,” Preethamol told DC.
She hails from a lower middle class family in Kottayam district and her father is a palm tapper who is struggling to repay her education loan.
“The maximum compensation she gets will be a few lakhs of rupees.Instead, the railways should give her a job. We demand the compensation to such victims be increased to Rs 10 lakh besides the provision of a job,” All-Kerala Rail Users’ Association president Paul K.J. Manvettom said.